A Wondrous Journey
by Sol35
Summary: In the equatorial and lush region of Zimir, the trainer schools are preforming their graduating ceremonies and about let off their 6th year students to travel the region and compete in the Zimir league. Here we join the young, aspiring Annie from the small town of Zentria about to begin her journey through the region.


The sun rose lazily over the landscape of the lush Zimir region, casting rays of light over the equatorial and volcanic region. The region itself was a large tropical island filled with jungles, swamps, and beaches that were the envy of other regions. The people of the small agricultural town of Zentria were already up and in the fields or heading towards the local Pokémon Academy for the final day of schooling for 6th years. Many of the 6th years would be getting Pokémon, but very few would actually be going on a journey due to having to work the fields of the town. With the temperature rapidly rising the graduating class stood within the outside pavilion made out of the ruins of an old palisade that went around the town and were to be congratulated on their achievement by the local Pokémon Professors, Professor Wade and Professor Jade.

Annie looks around the pavilion as she entered, she had arrived far earlier than the other students who were still socializing in front of the school. She had little need for the socializing of the other students being a loner for most of her schooling career. The professors were already setting up the pavilion for the graduation, with a giant table in the middle filled with Pokéballs and large bowl filled with paper in the middle of it all.

Professor Jade noticed that Annie was standing over in the graduation box and waved towards her and yelled out, "Hey Annie, excited about graduation? I hear you're in the top of the class!"

Annie rubbed the back of her head, blushing in embarrassment after being called out, "It's honestly not that big of an achievement... Our class as a whole hasn't been very good."

Professor Jade stares at Annie for a few seconds before replying dryly with, "I'm certain your class is horrible, what with the champion congratulating you all and what not. Totally dismal."

Annie nods her head and sits down in the graduation box dropping the conversation with Professor Jade, who looks at Annie and rolls her eyes before continuing to set up the graduation. Soon after more and more kids start arriving and sit down for the graduation, all mingling and gossiping among each other about who would get the best starter.

Professor Wade soon opens up with his boisterous greeting to the class, "Welcome students of the graduating class! Today is a momentous day for all of you, the day you finally get your first Pokémon and are allowed to begin your journey as true trainers. As you all know by now the people who get to pick their Pokémon first are those who have scored the highest in all areas of testing over the last 6 years. Let us begin with the roll call!"

Professor Jade calls out in her usual cold, calculating tone, "Will Risa, Josh, Annie, Steven, and Trevor please come forward to choose their first Pokémon!"

The five students stepped out from the small crowd of 16 students gathered in the pavilion outside the school and were presented with 16 different pokéballs on a table in front of them labelled with the Pokémon inside of them in clear Zimirian, Snivy, Chimchar, Squirtle, Buizel, Ralts, Pidgey, Gastly, Trapinch, Bidoof, Tyrogue, Riolu, Budew, Beldum, Elekid, Magby, and Bagon. Annie watched as her fellow students stepped forward along with her and began thinking on who would get what Pokémon as the best Pokémon always went first in the graduation, not helped by the fact that the starters were randomized each year. Professor Wade motioned for Risa to pick her starter and she walked up and without much time put into thinking picked Ralts. Once Risa had moved to the side, the professor motioned for Josh to choose his starter. Josh took much more time than Risa to choose his starter finally settling on the Magby probably for its evolution of Magmortar. The Professor finally motioned for her to come forward and she looked over the poke available carefully for few seconds before finally settling on Riolu, Riolu would be good two of the gyms were weak to fighting and its evolution had the steel type giving her another advantage against the fairy type gym of Zimir. She quickly picked up the pokéball Riolu was in, put it onto her pokéball belt, and moved to join the others. The professor then motioned for Steven who quickly pocketed the Elekid and moved to join them and finally the professor motioned for Trevor to choose his. Trevor moved his head back and forth between Bagon and Beldum before finally pocketing the Bagon and joining the line of top graduates.

Professor Wade spoke up again with a loud boom, "Let us congratulate these 5 students for graduating at the top of their class this year and wish them a long and prosperous Pokémon journey through the Zimir region! With that I welcome the rest of our students to come and pick their starter from the remaining Pokémon still on the table and I will remind that all Pokémon can be good Pokémon if you train them correctly and with enough vigor!" He finishes his sentence by beating his fist against his chest and laughing loudly. He resumes speaking once all the trainers have gotten their Pokémon and trainer IDs, "Now that the Pokémon have been handed out we shall begin the ending melee and finalize your graduation." He picks up a bowl on the table filled with paper slips and pulls out two slips opening them up and reading aloud what they say, "This melee will be between Annie and Risa, will you all please join us outside the pavilion to enjoy one final battle between two of our top students!"

The students made their way out of the pavilion towards the small, plain battle arena outside the school proper and watched as Annie and Risa took up opposite sides of the arena and looked around nervously, this being their first legitimate Pokémon battle with non-rented Pokémon. The two girls soon look each other in the eye and the battle began.

Annie stares at Risa for a few seconds as her Pokéball begins to expand to release position and she sighs nervously as she throws it into the air releasing the Riolu within, "Go Riolu, do your best!"

The small dog-esque humanoid lands on the ground with gruff rii before noticing the opposing Ralts on the other side of the arena and taking up a battle pose. The Ralts noticed that the fight had begun as well steeling itself for whatever might be coming its way.

Risa looks Annie in the eye and says snidely obviously plotting something, "You go first Annie, I won our last bout it's only natural that I let you make the first move."

Annie stares forward for a few seconds before yelling loudly, "Riolu, Tackle the Ralts!" The Riolu looks back at Annie, nods, and speeds of down the arena at Risa's Ralts performing a snaking pattern to avoid being hit by anything that Ralts might throw at it. Risa smirks as the Riolu closes in and at the near to last second yells out confidently, "Confusion!" The little Ralts immediately complied attempting to freeze Riolu in mid-air right in front of it. Riolu caught by surprise ends up frozen in mid-air just as planned and gets blasted into the ground, forming a small crater around it. Riolu, however, quickly recovers continuing with its tackle attack and catches Ralts off guard giving it a quick uppercut to the face sending it flying backwards. Annie takes this chance to call out proudly, "Hurry and get it! Tackle it again as hard as you can!" Riolu does not even outwardly acknowledge the command and speeds off after Ralts to punish it before it can get back off the ground. Unfortunately, for Ralts Riolu reaches it right before it fully recovers and gets smashed into the ground even farther. As the dust clears, it becomes obvious to everyone on looking that Ralts is unconscious and Professor Wade calls out, "Ralts is unable to battle, Annie stands as the winner of this match. Congratulations on your win Annie."

Risa only looked at the scene in front of her in disbelief, the confusion should have instantly ko'd Annie's Riolu and it didn't. She returned her unconscious Ralts still staring at Annie's Riolu in disbelief. She mutters to herself for a little bit before looking up to see Annie in front of her holding out her hand, "Good match, Risa. It was fun to battle against you for real." Risa takes Annie's hand and shakes finally pushing away the disbelief. Soon after they shake hands Professor Wade's voice once again rings out, "Graduating Class, join us in the pavilion for your Pokédexes and some snacks before you begin your journeys!" The rest of the day went by very quickly as the saying time flies when you are having fun holds true under most circumstances. Around 12:00 pm, Professor Wades voice rung out again as the music turned off, "Well, I guess this marks the end of yet another school year and yet another wonderful graduation ceremony. I wish you all the best of luck with your journeys. Remember to call us sometimes, it gets rather quiet out every time the graduating class leaves!"

Annie heads off soon afterwards preparing an explanation for her family, as her dad had always been a stick in the mud about going on Pokémon journeys. The way home was relatively short as the town only housed around 450 people, she stepped inside of her family's small house to find her parents in the kitchen cooking dinner. She walked into the kitchen and prepared to open her mouth to explain why she wanted to go on a journey only to be cut off by her mom. "Dear, your father and I talked this over while working the fields today and we've collectively agreed that you're not going to step down from going on a journey. We're going to acquiesce to your wishes as long as you remember to keep in touch." Her mom left the stove and stared at Annie for a few seconds before putting out a long sigh, "Have fun on your journey and remember to pack clean clothes." Annie blushes in embarrassment a little and then quickly runs up to her room to get away from her parents. Her journey was waiting for her, and she had packing to do.


End file.
